Asus PadFone Mini Hands-On: The Tablet/SmartPhone Hybrid Shrinks

Asus has six generations of PadFone devices. If you’re unfamiliar with the family, the PadFone devices contain two parts: a smartphone and a tablet shell that the smartphone can slide into to power a full-sized tablet. In this case, Asus shrank the idea to create a PadFone Mini, which consists of a 4-inch smartphone and a 7-inch tablet shell.

We like the design, especially Asus’ color choices, but I also wasn’t so fond of the fact that it adds a bit of bulk to the device. Coming from a Nexus 7, I really like the thinness that comes in a 7-inch slate. Still, this gives you the best of both worlds, so it’s still a compelling use case scenario for a lot of folks. Under the hood, it has a 1.6GH Intel Z2560 processor, and it also runs Android 4.3. The displays on the phone and the tablet aren’t stunning (800 x 480 and 1280 x 800), and we do think Asus could improve in the department by adding even better displays.

Perhaps that was part of keeping the cost down, however. The whole package is going to set you back $249, which is just a few bucks more than the Nexus 7. Check out our quick hands-on video and gallery for more information.